The Black Cats were seven points adrift of safety last weekend, but have now slashed the gap between themselves and fourth-bottom Norwich City to three points – with the Canaries set to face leaders Liverpool tomorrow.

As for Chelsea, this was a huge dent in their title hopes. They went into the game with the title in their hands, but now Liverpool are back in the driving seat, going into that clash with Norwich two points clear at the top.

As expected, Poyet stuck with the same starting XI that began the 2-2 draw at City on Wednesday.

And that was only the second time since taking charge he has named the same team two games in a row, with the previous occasions coming in February and November.

Chelsea boss Mourinho made three changes to the side that began last weekend's win at Swansea.

Oscar and Eto'o came into the side, at the expense of Andre Schurrle and Demba Ba, who were both on the bench.

And former Middlesbrough goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer also played, with first-choice Petr Cech missing with a virus.

Chelsea bossed the early part of the game, but without creating much in the way of chances.

In fact it was Sunderland's Fabio Borini who had the first real effort on goal on seven minutes, but his 25-yard effort went well wide.

Chelsea midfielder Willian tried his luck from distance on 11 minutes but his weak effort was easily saved by Vito Mannone.

But a minute later Chelsea went in front and, as so often this season, it was a set-piece that undid Sunderland.

Willian delivered a corner from the left and Lee Cattermole stooped to try and head it clear when he should have put his foot through it, and Eto'o got their first to volley home from eight yards.

But Sunderland responded well and levelled six minutes later from a training ground corner routine.

Larsson's flag-kick found Alonso in acres of space 25 yards out, he took the ball on his chest and hit a shot which Mark Schwarzer saved but spilled, and Wickham followed up to score from close range despite being put under pressure by John Terry.

Chelsea almost scored from another corner on 37 minutes, when Willian's ball from the left was met with a downward header by Branislav Ivanovic at the far post. Mannone got a hand to it and pushed it up onto the crossbar, and then caught the loose ball as it dropped.

Mannone also made an excellent double save in the 41 minute, saving a long-range shot from Nemanja Matic and then blocking the follow-up from Mohamed Salah.

Chelsea had claims for a penalty a minute later when Borini headed the ball against Alonso's arm, but the defender knew nothing about it and referee Mike Dean rightly allowed play to continue.

In the 43 minute, Mannone saved with his feet from Willian and then Larsson did just enough to force Ramires to head wide with the goal gaping.

Ramires exacted his revenge 60 seconds later when he blatantly elbowed the Swede in the face in an off-the-ball incident.

Somehow, referee Dean did not see it but the FA will want to review the video evidence, which was damning and Ramires will be almost certainly be hit with a three-game ban.

Sunderland could have gone in ahead at the interval, but when a Terry slip let in Adam Johnson, he tried to work the ball onto his left-foot and was crowded out, when he should have shot with his right.

Early in the second half, Chelsea hit Sunderland on the counter-attack after a corner broke down.

Willian charged forward and set up Eto'o inside the area, but his shot flashed across the face of goal and wide.

And midway through the half sub Demba Ba missed a sitter, with the ex-Newcastle man slicing the ball wide with his left foot after being teed-up by Willian.

Chelsea put Sunderland under pressure, but the Black Cats held out.

Then in the 81 minute Jozy Altidore had his standing leg clipped by Azpilicueta, and the linesman immediately flagged for a penalty and referee Dean pointed to the spot.

Borini put his penalty straight down the middle, with Schwarzer diving to his right, to send the travelling Sunderland contingent wild.

But not as wild as Chelsea assistant manager Rui Faria, who had to be physically restrained by other members of the home backroom staff when he tried to confront the referee, who then sent him to the stands.

Chelsea threw everything at the Black Cats in the final stages, with Mannone making excellent saves from sub Andre Schurrle and Terry.